Blame Claudio Bravo, not John Stones for Southampton's goal against Manchester City, urges Graeme Souness

The goal was the latest of a series of individual errors to cost City points

Nathan Redmond rounded Claudio Bravo to score (Getty Images)

The blame for Nathan Redmond’s goal for Southampton against Manchester City lies with goalkeeper Claudio Bravo and not John Stones, insists Graeme Souness.

The Saints took the lead midway through the first half after Bravo threw the ball to Kevin De Bruyne, who exchanged passes with Fernandinho and Ilkay Gundogan, before reaching Stones on the edge of the 18-yeard box.

The Englishman’s wayward pass back to his goalkeeper was intercepted by Redmond, who rounded Bravo to finish into an empty net, but Souness believes it is the Chilean who should take the bulk of the blame.

“My argument with that goalkeeper is, what does he expect [De Bruyne] to do apart from lay it back? I think that's a poor choice for the goalkeeper to make,” he told Sky Sports.

“He's throwing the ball out, 25 yards from his goal, knowing the player is getting closed down by two of the opposition. It's a bad choice.”

Bravo has had a tough start to life at the Etihad after dropping a clanger on his debut to allow Zlatan Ibrahimovic to score, before seeing red against former club Barcelona on Wednesday for handling the ball outside the area.

Souness’ fellow pundits Jamie Carragher and Thierry Henry disagreed however, and said he should have looked forwards and towards the wing, rather than back to Bravo.

“John Stones has to open his foot and see if he can play with his winger. He decides to pass the ball back... mistake, goal,” said Henry.

“It's mistake after mistake and we've been saying that for a very long time. If they want to win the league, they have to erase that.”

Carragher added: “I think John Stones has got himself in a situation. He's not happy with Vincent Kompany. He's stepped a yard forward.

“Even if he gives the ball to Vincent Kompany, he would be in trouble. He's stepping forward to say to John Stones, give that to the goalkeeper. [Stones] thinks Kompany is there, he looks away. It's John Stones, it's a really poor mistake. Just use your goalkeeper.

“Graeme, it's not the goalkeeper's fault. De Bruyne should be able to deal with that.”